CLEVELAND — Cleveland police are searching for the murderer who shot and killed a local rap artist early Sunday morning inside his Slavic Village apartment.
Carlos Banks, 28, known as KashBankx, had hundreds of thousands of social media followers and released a new album on Jan. 1.
The police report said officers were initially called to investigate shots fired inside 5115 Broadway Ave. at The Rising apartments.
When they arrived, the report said officers found Banks lying on the floor of his apartment and "suffering from numerous gunshot wounds to the head, chest, and right abdomen."
Cleveland EMS pronounced him dead at the scene.
On Thursday, Cleveland Police Spokesperson Sgt. Wilfredo Diaz said, "homicide is actively working this case with the goal to make an arrest as soon as possible. To protect the integrity of the investigation, no further information is available for release."
Jaylin King, a community journalist, said he interviewed Banks several times.
"I just made a post: 'Who is the hottest artist in Cleveland?' And his name just would not stop popping up," King said.
He said they formed a friendship over the last six months.
"We were going to work together to make sure that we both blow up and everything and take each other with each other no matter how far we got," he said.
Instead, King said he is now receiving tips and leads about his friend's murder.
He said he has shared the information with police and is confident his friend's killer will be found.
"I know that justice takes a process and I know that justice will come," he said.
